One form of steam/condensate responsive device for use in a condensate return line is the well known steam trap. An example is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,557 assigned to the Assignee of the present invention. Such a trap normally responds to the presence of condensate, and indeed is used to remove this condensate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,135, assigned to the Assignee of the present invention, shows a steam trap with a combined inlet and outlet fitting incorporating an adjustable pivot connection, enabling the steam trap to be always mounted in its normal upright operating position in horizontal, vertical, or sloped condensate return lines. See for example the modified embodiment of FIGS. 3-7 in such patent.
The French company Trouvay & Cauvin, located at Fecamp, France, has marketed a drain manifold, incorporating stations for steam traps, under the series designation PPC, including models PPC1 and PPC2. A given station includes a forged housing block whose opposite end walls have steam inlet and condensate outlet ports for connection to a condensate return line and drain manifold respectively, a back face for mounting a steam trap equipped with a fitting portion of the kind generally shown in abovementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,135 at FIG. 7, a bottom face with drain and test ports and a front face carrying elongate inlet and outlet valves whose length axes converge rearwardly (i.e., in the general direction of the steam trap and housing block back wall).
However, the known PPC inlet and outlet ports and inlet and outlet valves substantially define a common midplane which, parallel to and spaced between the block top and bottom faces. Such common midplane is horizontal with the steam trap properly oriented for operation. A drain valve and/or a test valve depend from the bottom face of the housing block for condensate return line bleed or testing of the operation of the trap. These valves are external valves not housed in the station housing body and so require extra space below the housing body, thereby limiting the station stacking density in a multiple arm drain manifold.
While the Trouvay & Cauvin station above described has been generally satisfactory, the present applicant has noted the possibility of providing an even more compact station structure and thereby enabling greater compactness and packing density of the stations in a multi-station drain manifold. Such is particularly desirable in existing steam systems where, for convenience in maintenance or other reasons, one wants to concentrate the location of steam traps at a single, accessible location without substantial relocation of other steam system components to make the required space.
Applicant has further noted the possibility of providing greater protection against damage to, and operating accessibility for, bleed and test valves, by locating them internally in the housing block and has further noted that this can be done without significant, if any, increase in housing block size.
Accordingly, it is an object and purpose of the present invention to provide improvements, including one or more of those above stated, in manifold/station systems of this general kind.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons familiar with apparatus of this general kind upon reading the following description and inspecting the company drawings.